KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 – The Youth and Sports Ministry is working in collaboration with the Agriculture Ministry with other government agencies to help youths in rural areas to set up small businesses, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Its deputy minister, Datuk M.Saravanan said the ministry targeted school dropouts as 20 years ago, they could easily get jobs in plantations.
“But now jobs in plantations are monopolise by foreigners.
“Hence, youths who fail to further their studies should take advantage of the opportunity provided by the ministry to initiate small businesses to enable them to change their family economic status,” he said when replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan).
Ghapur wanted to know measures taken by the Youth and Sports Ministry to deter youths in rural areas from getting involve in social problems.
To another supplementary question from Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang), Saravanan said only a handful of youths attending concerts were involved in unhealthy activities.
He said the ministry had organised constructive programmes to help youths acquire good personality and character, skills and leadership quality as well as equipping them with knowledge.
– BERNAMA
